GUILLAUME KERNER
Interview of GUILLAUME KERNER by Serge TREFEU (2010)
Serge TREFEU: Hello Guillaume and thank you for grant me this interview. Let us begin with the beginning of your long career of nakmuay. You began the Thai Boxing towards which age?
GUILLAUME KERNER: Sawadee khap! In 13 years
You make parties of the pioneers of the Thai Boxing in France because you began at the beginning of the 80s, how was perceived the Thai Boxing when you began this sport?
A little as the M.M.A today…
Muay Thai was not very known in France, which is what made you discover this sport?
My best friend…
In your time what is what there are champions who inspired you for the continuation of your career?
The Thai champions! All killers!
With what professor you began?
I had the honour of begun with the star of time PUD PAD NOY!
Can you speak to us about your relation with Pud Pad Noy, one of the biggest nakmuay that the Thailand is known, how it is crossed your meeting?
The first time when I met him he approached me by showing me the cover of a magazine of boxing with top, the portrait of a boxer in blood victim of several pokes, then by seeing my reaction he roared. PUD PAD NOY it is an exceptional man!
I shall always respect him…
You knew Pud Pad Noy’s historic career before your meeting with him?
Yes I knew that it had been number 1 of Thailand during 5 years, I was informed well…
It is Pud Pad Noy which has made your fighter’s style, style similar to the Thai boxers?
I think of it…
Can you speak to us of your about the very first fight how it is crossed?
In the time it was Hardcore. In 14 years I fought without protections against boys 27 year!
Your first championships of France, you gained them against whom and you remember these fights?
I was a champion of France classy A during five years against the best of time: MAIZZA, BENATIA, REZZAG, CORALIE, BOIGEOL. I remember all these fights because it was very hard!
You climb levels quickly by attacking you in title of Europe champion, it was in which year and against whom?
It belonged in 1988 to St Denis, Champion of Europe against English WALKER. It was a very solid striker. I almost lost by KO!
Then it is the supreme title in 1995, a world championship and in more in Bangkok, you can return over this strong moment of your career, what was your opponent?
In front of 200 000 spectators, it is the King’s Birthday in live on the TV. The promoter SONGCHAI RATANASUBAN put me in front of number 1 of the LUMPINEE, CHAINARONG and the only thing which I knew it is that he had put KO the champion Mourad DJEBLI in the 3è round…
You competed for several world championships, you can say to us against what opponent it was?
I have made 4 world championships. In 1988 in Paris in the room of BERCY in front of champion reunited of the RADJADAMNOEN and the LUMPINEE, WAMPHADET. I lose in points in only 19 years, look at the fight it is in the anal!
In 1995 in BANGKOK in front of CHAINARONG I win at points.
In 1996 in Paris in the AGORA in front of KRONGSAK I lose, stop of the doctor in the 3è rounds.
In 1996 in the United States in LOS ANGELES in front of COBAN LOOKCHAOMAESAITHONG, I win at points…
The title of which you are most proud?
That of the 1995 in BANGKOK!
Your best memory of fight?
The first KO which I put. A unique sensation!
And the worst?
When I lost and when a stupid man has me say that I shall have to stop…
Your most hard fight?
My last one fights against the crack of the LUMPINEE, RAINBOW SOR PRATALEE. In the last round he breaks me the nose with the elbow but I end the fight …
Do you were during a fight dominated sometimes finally to returned the situation to your advantage?
Yes all the high-level fights are not one-way…
How much you have make of fight during all your career, how much victory and defeat?
62 fights, 58 wins and 4 Losses
Have you a lot of victory by KO?
I have 32 victories by KO!
Had you the favourite techniques which you liked crossing in fight?
The knocks of knees, Tii Tii Tii Oheyyy!
In the time you were one of the rare foreigners to control perfectly quite techniques with elbows, what is that according to you, the techniques of pokes are techniques the most difficult to learn for the Westerners, in particular French?
The pokes without the protections it is violent. There is a blocking that I understand at some French. The poke is not the technique the most difficult to learn but their authorization give the more difficult fight…
You were one of the French first ones to leave for Thailand. For what year you left over there?
My first time in Thailand it was in 1984, it was a journey but also a mission to fill. This mission consisted in following all the trainings and in living in a camp…
What was your first camp in Thailand, how it are crossed your first trainings?
My first camp in Thailand was the one of the older brother of PUD PAD NOY in the city of KHON KAEN. There were two trainings a day and I had aches to behind ears!
You lived in the camp with the boxers?
I slept outdoors on a boxing ring protected by a mosquito net in the middle of the boxers…
What champions there was in the camp?
There were champions of the province of the Northeast of the Thailand
At the Beginning of the 80s to train in a camp in Thailand what was not as well easy as now, in the time is what Thai welcomed well you or they were more reluctant to the foreigners?
Recommend by PUD PAD NOY I was welcomed with a great hospitality…
In how many camp you trained and what is the one who most marked you at the level of the atmosphere and of the training?
I made many camps in Thailand but one of those who most impressed me by his hardness is “Haa Phalang” which included several champions of the LUMPINEE and the RADJADAMNOEN of which DIESEL NOY, CHAMOUAKPET, PANOMTOUALEK, I stayed more than year there…
To day camps in Thailand proliferated and for the good majority became camps to “Tourists”, you think that it is a maid or a bad thing for Muay Thai?
I think that it is a good thing for Thai but not for us…
Your first fights in Thailand you remember it?
My first fights in Thailand it was the madness. PUD PAD NOY bet on me and I was on motivated to gain!
How much you made of fight in Thailand?
About twenty
What are the Thai champions whom you met in Thailand and also in France?
I remember especially champions of the LUMPINEE and the RADJADAMNOEN as PEHDAM LOOKPRABAT, SPONSOR, MEKONG, WAMPHADETH, RAINBOW SOR PRATALEE, COBAN LOOKCHAOMAESAITHONG, CHAINARONG, KRONGSAK, ATTAPONG FANTA, WANLOP, KAWOAW, PRAPTORANEE, etc….
Which one were the most difficult to face?
KRONGSAK and RAINBOW!
You fought in big stadium of Bangkok?
Yes in the biggest in the LUMPINEE, in SOMRONG, in OMNOY, I just miss the RADJADAMNOEN…
In the time you fought for which promoter in Thailand?
For SONGCHAI RATANASUBAN
How many times you fought in the King’s Birthday?
Twice. In the time the western journalists did not still cover this event but I made ring the French national anthem in the Thai circuit since years…
What is your best memory of boxing in Thailand?
Always my victory in the world championship in BANGKOK, at the King’s Birthday in the royal gardens!
You have a particular anecdote have to tell us who arrived at you in Thailand?
In 1989 I am the first French to have discovered then to integrate the famous SOR PLOENCHIT camp and I then invited the champion Joël CESAR as well as the companions of the DEREK to come to join me there. The camp was so impressed by the quality of my boxing that they quickly proposed me a fight against the champion of OMNOY STADIUM. Of course it was to make what we call in Thai “Deun Pann”.
Deun pann means that all the staff of the SOR PLOENCHIT put a small fortune on the table as well as the opposite camp. The victorious camp pocketed the totality!
This day there we made a hold-up of 650 000 bahts! And Songchai RATANASUBAN came to court me by offering me a book on the MUAY THAI (that I kept) that he had introduced by indicating that I was the best western fighter…
Your fighter’s nickname in the time it was “the Angel Blond Hair” where from came to you this nickname?
the Angel Blond Hair was attributed to me by the journalist Pascal IGLIGKI in a portrait being dedicated to me for the magazine KARATE BUSHIDO and since everybody adopted him!
You like the Thai culture a lot, what you like most in the Thai culture?
I like very much the “wai”, I find this gesture of wave used over there for hello, goodbye, very elegant!
You usually speak about the Thai, you learnt the Thai during your long stays in the camps of Muay Thai?
Yes in 1985 I was 17 years old and I remained alone during one year to the camp of DIESEL NOY later I knew how to speak…
You interests you in the Buddhist religion?
Yes
For you what is that in the Art of Muay Thai there is a state of mind which joins a little the philosophy taught in the Buddhist religion?
The way of a boxer being an asceticism, I see a common denominator with the Buddhism there!
Muay Boran the antique art of Muay Thai, it is something who also fascinates you?
Less than the MUAY THAI of competition…
Very beautiful movies as “Ong Bak” with Tony Jaa and “Boxer” of Kongkiat Khomsiri became known in the European Muay Boran, you think that these movies it is something beneficial for Muay Thai?
Yes, I liked well the movie CHOK DEE also!
The next movie about Muay Boran, which I saw in Thailand and who is excellent, is called “Ayudoya Samourai”, in this movie we see there of real champions as Buakaw, Seanchai, Anuwat, Yodseanklai, Jaroenthong exercising their talents, you think that it brings more credibility to these movies the fact of having the truths champion of boxing thai in the screen?
Of course! I am impatient to discover him!
Do you see the international current events of Muay Thai today, do you know the champions from now on and which are your preferred?
At present I like what makes Fabio PINCA
And in France of which do you think of the new generation?
I like the new generation…
What difference for you there is with regard to the current boxers and to those of your generation?
The current technique is more perfected but, when I look at the images of my fights I already see there a beautiful style!
That would say you to a young person who wants to begin a career in the Thai Boxing?
To believe in it by following my example…
What do you think of the state of Muay Thai in France today?
He deserves better!
You formed some good boxers you can speak to us about it?
The training allows me to continue to vibrate for the THAI MUAY, I like that. My best pupil was Mounir BOUTI and he managed to hoist the blazon of the KERNER TEAM at the highest level, it was magnificent!
To Teach it is something who fascinates you, what is what you feel similar things to those whom you felt when you rose on a boxing ring?
Almost…
You often organize seminars, that they are your next dates?
In front of the success of my seminars (45 in 2010) the F.F.S.C.D.A in wished to see out the operation with me. I wait for my dates. At present I also bend over a project of seminar in Thai camp I shall intervene beside the Thai instructors…
Your projects of future concerning Muay Thai?
Start the KERNER TEAM school in full PARIS
Do you want to add anything?
To all the persons who trusted in my work, I shall wish to say to them one big thank you, and quite especially in:
PUD PAD NOY (one of my the most beautiful meeting), Sullivan KERNER (the general!), Bruno PUTZULU (fimeuuuuuuuu Friend!), the camp 5 Phalang (forgiveness to have run away, but 2:20 am from clinch every day I tore!), Désiré THIBAUT (thank you for having allowed me to compete for this wonderful world championship in BANGKOK), Pascal IGLICKI (rocker’s heart!), Didier SIMONPIETRI (Daniel ALLOUCHE (The Voice), Roger PASCHY, Richard DIEUX (rest in peace), Karim BEN ISMAEL (thank you for your beautiful articles), Gérard TEYSSERON (thank you for your magic events of boxing), Samy KHEBCHI (the DON KING of the MUAY THAI), FRANTHAIFULL (bravo to Raouf REZGUI and Jean-Victor SANTOCINI for your beautiful school), SOR PLOENCHIT camp, Jacques DUCHEMIN (rest in peace), René and Antoine DESJARDIN (thank you for your tremendous welcome in the DEREK GYM), Mr PREMTHAI (Ajarn Yai), (Master Teacher)!), Joël Caesar (pen mat champion nak!), Ali OUAGUENI (Great Promoter!) Krim HAMITECHE (bravo champion for your beautiful reconversion of trainer), Charles BIETRY, James FOX (your book ” THE BOXING ” is sublime!), Biga TIDIANI (champions’ B.M.T.C gym!), KOUIDER, Funny GATJINDA (my Thai friend), Jean-Paul MAILLET, Raoul LAMY (rest in peace), Gabriel LAMY (thank you for having given me a world luck in BERCY in front of a so great champion!), Philipe TORRETON, SOR THANIKUL camp, Philipe CANTAMESSI (1st French to have been so high in the MUAY!), Mr DERRAJI, SOUDARETH (kid I was a fan of you!), Patrice NEBOUT, Dida DIAFAT, Mr RODRIGUEZ boxing gym of the door of Clignancourt (rest in peace), Gérard SABATIER (S.M.M MONTROUGE), Marc Olivier SOUDER (thank you for having mentioned me in the article on the story of the French MUAY THAI), Antony ELKAIM (years later as if it was yesterday!), Nabil REZGUI (very good teacher), WICKED ONE, KRONGSAK, Djafar HAMOUN, Kitty SOR THANIKUL, Youssop SOR THANIKUL, Doctor Georges PEREZ, Sidi GUELLOUMA (the best trainer of pao that I never saw!), Mounir BOUTI (miracle of the French MUAY THAI), Gap (bravo for your article DUANG PEN in the site KERNER TEAM! It is a great tribute to all these boxers who are alone and far from to them for their cause! Andrea PORCARI, Francis KITOKO (the black panther!), Frederic JEAN (great your videos on facebook!), Mike LENG (Thank for your internet interview: the science of 8 limbs), KIETBANCHONG camp, Redouane BOUGARA (rest in peace), Eric BLONDEL, Gilles BELLONI, KIM YU AJARN in THAILAND, Yoann from MUAY-SAKSIT.COM (I have never known if you had received her limp in cigar which I sent you?), Samath PAYAKAROON, SOR WORAPIN camp, Lucien NEPHTALI (great left fighter! Reconverted to great physio!), Jean-Marie MERCHET, LAMKONG, ANUKUN, Manu DOLZANELLI, Olivier Gautier (one of these adventurers of the muay thai which fought only in Thailand and which today manages a great camp to PHUKET: the SIT O gym), Kadam bumblebee, Stephan TAN (Bravo for the highlight!), Alain KRICKA (the passion of the MUAY THAI does not count kilometres’!), Alex N-GOM PRISO (shalam dam!), Jean DUCOS (president!), Rachid SAADI (R.M.B), Hadj (moon ), Charles HIPPOLYTO, Eric DUFRENNE (and his family), Michel LECORE, Willy JAMES NGUEKAM, Vincent DAO, Sam BERRANDOU, Léo HUISMAN, Ted SKYROCK, Serge TREFEU (SIAMFIGHTMAG), Stephan (PUMA CLUB), MORAL J-PAX (12 rounds indeed to screw!), Ted SKYROCK, EKWE (the rumour), Yoann (my soldier), all the gyms of the hexagon which welcomed me in seminar thank you, it was very beautiful meetings every time! Grégory of AIX EN PROVENCE (mu sul hak kyo), Jonathan DOH CONG MINH, CAMP 10, Antony BLANCHE, Mederic CHAPITAUX, René ACQUAVIVA, The magazine UPPERCUT, Eric EKAMBI, Kadik 2i (played well the idea of the clip parodying ROCKY!), Didier LEGROS (colleague), Larbi and Moustapha BENATTIA, Jean-Marc KOLASSA, Janaina LEMOINE, Jean PAOLI (your photo of the high-kick against WANPHADET is of anthology!), Thomas AARON, Fred BOIGEOL, Samuel SOR SAKSRI …
Thank you for this interview and CHOOKDEE for your projects!
Guillaume Kerner is a precursor for French Muay Thai because it is the first one to have gone to train for of long stay in camps typical Thai, camp where there had been never a foreigner. Thanks to his unique experience in Thailand and his prodigious trainer Pud Pad Noy, he acquired a technical knowledge of Muay Thai of which no foreigner had managed to control. His science of the fight, especially the clinch was phenomenal. It was a highly gifted of boxing rings, in the same way as Danny Bill, the other big technician of the Muay Thai French…
Kerner faced the biggest Thai champions of his time to them and beat them. The fights of the “Angel Blond Hair” will remain for ever etch in the annals of Muay Thai!
GUILLAUME KERNER
Weight: 67 – 70 Kg
Number of fight : 62 fights. 58 wins (32 KO). 4 Losses
Title: Twice World Champion. Europe Champion. Five times France Champion
Gym: KERNER TEAM
PHOTOS : Jean PAOLI, Pascal IGLICKI, D.R.